by Sharon M. Kennedy Witch of winter Folklore is filled with stories of winter witches. Today, January 6, marks the Christian Epiphany, the day when Italians believed La Befana—their “famous” winter witch—visited children. Apparently, she bestowed gifts on the good and coal to the naughty. She was like Santa in…
When I moved back to the Upper Peninsula in the early 1980s, I was surprised to see buffalo roaming the fields on a farm on M-129. Such a sight wasn’t common in or around the Detroit area where I lived. The only buffalo I had ever seen were on nickels….
By Sharon M. Kennedy Last winter I pulled on my snowshoes and made trails in my backyard. I took a photo of the old chicken coop and my trail leading to it. This year the snow will remain pristine as I won’t be snowshoeing anytime soon. Some readers might remember…
By Sharon M. Kennedy Mom never complained about winters. She knew they would be long and harsh. She was born in 1917, the youngest of seven siblings. According to a note I found among her brother’s papers, three of their brothers died young. Eddie passed when he was three, Joe…
By Sharon M. Kennedy We all know nosy people. They’re the ones who poke through your kitchen cupboards, rummage through your drawers, and steam open your letters. They have nose trouble, at least that’s how Mom described them. No matter how busy their own lives are, they always find time…
By Sharon M. Kennedy My mother, her mother, and Mom’s sister my Aunt Kate We all reach a certain age when the past is more real than the present. I’m not talking about folks with Alzheimer’s disease, just folks that have time to sit quietly and reflect on the years…
By Sharon M. Kennedy Well, I guess there’s ample ground for the impeachment and permanent removal of Grandpa Joe. After all the hullabaloo about finding highly classified documents in the basement of a Florida home, we now discover boxes containing some of the same stuff in Joe’s old office and…
By Sharon M. Kennedy A few years ago I made an appointment to see a dermatologist. Don’t ask me how, but a sliver of vanity survived all the tribulations I’ve endured throughout the years and that’s what prompted the visit to the doctor’s office. My condition wasn’t serious, just a…
by Sharon M. Kennedy Every vehicle comes with a fifth wheel. It’s meant for emergencies so it won’t get you very far, but in a pinch it’s a good thing to have at the ready. It’s kind of like having an unmarried friend. Such a person comes in handy when…
by Sharon M. Kennedy The SideRoad Kids are anxious to tell their side of the story penned by the author. Tonight at 7:00 p.m. they’ll get their chance. They’ve waited a long time to speak up, and they’re ready for their Zoom call this evening. Flint is almost jumping out…
By Sharon M. Kennedy In Rome, there’s a marble mask called the “Mouth of Truth.” It rests against a portico wall in a village I won’t even attempt to spell. The other day I took a break from endless chores and watched an old movie called “Roman Holiday.” Audrey Hepburn…
by Sharon M. Kennedy People who live in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are known as Yoopers. We’re a peculiar lot. We’re usually thick-skinned because we have to be. Winters are harsh, summers abound with ticks and porcupines, and spring and autumn are almost non-existent. We make a living any way we…
By Sharon M. Kennedy There was a time, not so very long ago, when I put out numerous birdfeeders for chickadees and other feathered winter visitors that came along. However, with so many feeders, it wasn’t long before the birds were pushed aside by squirrels. Lots of squirrels. They came…
By Sharon M. Kennedy We humans are a strange lot. At the start of each New Year, we make resolutions and are sure things will be different. We’ll live the exciting, safe, prosperous and happy life that evaded us during the old year. Some of us will. We’ll work harder…
By Sharon M. Kennedy Well, Christmas is over and I hope everybody’s happy. Did you all get everything you ordered from Santa? Did your dad get socks, a box of white handkerchiefs, and a bottle of Old Spice? Did your mom get a box of chocolates, a frilly apron, and…
by Sharon M. Kennedy If you don’t have money, you don’t ask for a room at the inn. If you’re poor, you don’t pay taxes on earned income because you didn’t earn any. You don’t ride a donkey because you can’t afford an animal. If you travel a long distance…
By Sharon M. Kennedy Festivus is a fictitious event inspired by Don O’Keefe’s family of Mt. Pleasant, MI and made famous on a “Seinfeld” episode. O’Keefe was one of the writers for the show and mentioned the imaginary holiday his family celebrates on Dec. 23. His dad was tired of…
UP Notable Book Club: the Crystal Falls Community District Library in partnership with the U.P. Publishers & Authors Association (UPPAA) has scheduled author events with winners of the UP Notable Book List. The 25th event is with Sharon M. Kennedy whose book The SideRoad Kids:Tales of Chippewa County presents stories…
by Sharon M. Kennedy Dad wasn’t much of a shopper, but every Christmas there was a box of Queen Anne Chocolate Covered Cherries underneath the tree for Mom. It was the only candy they both knew nobody would raid. Mom didn’t have to hide the box in the laundry basket…
My daughter with her dad and cousin Lion was tired. He was tired of Mr. Ted, the man who fed him meat twice a day. He was tired of people throwing hot dogs at him, waiting for him to growl and scare them. But most of all, Lion was tired…
By Sharon M. Kennedy Mom wasn’t much for taking pictures. Either her thumb got in the way of the shutter or she cut off somebody’s head or included too much of the ground or sky. However, occasionally she plucked up a smidgeon of courage and snapped a photo that was…
by Sharon M. Kennedy Anyone who has watched the television show, M*A*S*H, is familiar with the theme song, “Suicide is Painless.” And anyone who has lost a loved one through suicide knows that’s a lie. The pain of the deceased is over, but the sorrow felt by those left behind…
by Sharon M. Kennedy In 25 days, Christmas Eve will be here. You know perfectly well you don’t want to think about it because you haven’t started shopping. Chances are you even avoided all those wonderful Black Friday and Cyber Monday super sales. It’s just too early to think about…
By Sharon M. Kennedy Uncle Steve and his Turkeys Yesterday was Thanksgiving, the day everybody is as stuffed as the turkey. For weeks, cooks have been preparing menus and testing new recipes. Tables will sag beneath the weight of the usual fare. Clever techniques inspired by cooking channel chefs and…
by Sharon M. Kennedy What would you do if you knew you had only one more day to live? It’s probably a good thing we don’t know when our time will come. There would be so much to do. If we haven’t a will, we’d have to quickly write one,…
